Today’s episode of the MERIP Podcast features a conversation between MERIP executive director James Ryan and Susanne Dahlgren, a longtime MERIP contributor and analyst focused on Yemen whose recent essay, “Yemen After the Saudi-Emirati Split” appeared in our Current Analysis section on July 8, 2026. Last December, the Emirati-backed Southern Transitional Council in Yemen briefly expelled Saudi and Saudi-backed militias from the Hadhramaut region, only to retreat in the face of Saudi counteroffensives. The result of this skirmish was the dramatic exit of the UAE from Yemen’s civil war, after over 10 years of involvement. In her piece, Dahlgren reads these maneuvers as an attempt by the Saudis to establish a modus operandi for managing the conflict from Riyadh and protecting its interests in oil production and shipping. Further Reading:Susanne Dahlgren, “Yemen After the Saudi-Emirati Split” Current Analysis, July 8, 2026Al Ayyam NewspaperYemen OnlineYemen Monitor